Admission into Seven-Year Articulation BS/OD Degree with SUNY State College of Optometry (aka 3/4 Optometry Program)
Applying from high school
Applying from TCNJ as a biology major (BIOA)
Applying from TCNJ in other majors
To be considered when applying to TCNJ directly from high school:
1. Must have SATs (Math + Verbal) of at least 1360 with a Math score of at least 670
- If your SAT score is below 1360 OR your SAT Math score is below 670 then your application to the Seven-year program will not be considered
- In rare cases, if your SAT score is just below the cutoff (e.g. 1350) your application to the Seven-year program may be considered if your SAT Math score is significantly above 670
- If you apply to the Seven-year optometry program and do not meet the minimum requirements then you will be required to notify the Office of Admissions that you wish to be evaluated for your second-choice major (indicated on the Common Application Member Form)
- If you apply to the Seven-year optometry program and are not accepted (either before or after the interview) then you will be required to notify the Office of Admissions that you wish to be evaluated for your second-choice major (indicated on the Common Application Member Form)
2. Should be in the top 10% of a high school class (depending on the reputation of the high school); SAT II Subject Tests are NOT required
3. Must have a definite interest in the profession of optometry and have explored it (volunteer)
4. Must show evidence of community involvement
5. Must have good communication and interpersonal skills
6. Must submit to an interview at SUNY
7. TCNJ application deadline is November 1. Indicate “Seven-year Optometry” as your primary program of study.
NOTE: Simply meeting the minimum requirements for application to the Seven-Year BS/OD program (or averages from previous years) does not guarantee admission to TCNJ or the Seven-year BS/OD program. The minimum criteria for admission to TCNJ and the Seven-year BS/OD program are determined by TCNJ and SUNY, respectively.
To be considered once attending TCNJ:
Students in the biology major (BIOA) can apply to the program during their freshmen year. Transfer students may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
1. Must have an overall GPA of at least 3.3
2. Must have an overall GPA of at least 3.3 in all math and science prerequisites taken with no individual grade below a “C”
3. Ability to finish program requirements three years from their entry into TCNJ (see #4)
4. Applicants should have completed (or be actively enrolled in) the following courses during their freshmen year prior to application:
- BIO 201 Foundations of Biological Inquiry)
- BIO 211 Biology of the Eukaryotic Cell
- CHE 201 General Chemistry I
- CHE 202 General Chemistry II
- MAT 127 Calculus A or STA 215 Statistics*
- PSY 101 Psychology
5. Same as numbers 3-6 above.
To be considered once attending TCNJ in a major other than BIOA:
1. Exceptional candidates in majors other than BIOA will be admitted to the BIOP major on a case-by-case basis if all of the following apply:
- Application materials are submitted prior to their sophomore year
- Transfer into the biology major is approved by the Department of Biology
- The application to the BIOP program is approved by SUNY College of Optometry
2. Ideally, applicants should have completed (or be actively enrolled in) the following courses during their freshmen year prior to application:
- BIO 201 Foundations of Biological Inquiry)
- BIO 211 Biology of the Eukaryotic Cell
- CHE 201 General Chemistry I
- CHE 202 General Chemistry II
- MAT 127 Calculus A or STA 215 Statistics*
- PSY 101 Psychology
3. All of the same requirements as “To be considered once attending TCNJ” still apply.
*Students already in the Seven-year optometry program prior to Fall 2010 can take STA 115. From Fall 2010, all students in the Seven-year optometry program and biology students interested in optometry are required to take STA 215. After F2010, STA 115 will not count toward the Seven-year program or the biology major under any conditions.